And so they met Love
by illicit.azure
Summary: Fate had everything in store for them, planned out. The problem was executing them. An Itachi x Sakura AU story that goes about the unpredictable, down right absurd,and a slightly dramatic thing called 'love'


Author's Notes: The flow is a bit loopy. The first part is a bit of a prologue, then it proceeds to the story and then somewhat of a point of view before continuing the story flow. It's weird but this is my very first story so please, be kind?

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, the story is purely for entertainment purposes only.

With that said, please navigate with all the loopy-ness that I call plot.

* * *

_Lilia sola regunt lunam undas castra leonem._

_"The fleur-de-lis alone_

_rules over the moon_

_the waves,_

_the castle,_

_and the lion"_

* * *

Chirp

_Chirp. Chirp._

A **peaceful** morning in Konoha

_Chirp. Bang. Crash. Splinter. Boom._

An **average** day for Haruno Sakura

"NARUTO!" Sakura screeched as she banged the poor blonde on the head as well as hitting him with a few _harmless_ household items. The young medic was promptly waken up, no matter how often it happens _(Practically everyday…for goodness sake!)_ she still would not tolerate. **How dare he wakes us up for ramen and practically destroys my door! **Inner Sakura fumed and mumbled. "hehe…Sakura-chan" Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and continued while he dodged the not-so-harmless projectiles aimed directly at him by his beloved sister figure "…you know Teme and I were going Ichiraku then I found out that they-" _Boink _"-they had shrimp flavoured ones…" "YOU WOKE ME UP FOR-" "..th-they're your favorite!" Naruto added, his last attempt to at least make sure he got out still intact.

* * *

At Ichiraku Ramen

Itachi immediately noticed the boulder and the smoke coming from the stall as well as a poor beaten up blond blob (aka Naruto) and an amusingly pale Sasuke _almost _cowering (because real Uchihas don't and even if they are, they'd still wouldn't show) "So **YOU **also dared to-" "Haruno-san, I would like to excuse my brother for a while" Itachi interjected as an _almost_ relived-looking Sasuke inaudibly sighed "..hm?" Sakura brought down her (_oh-so-scary-and-mighty_, many thought) petite fists and turned to look at Sasuke's stotic brother._What now?_ She inwardly growled. Not even bothering to ogle him like most females did.

Itachi was inwardly amused that such a petite female could cause such fear unto his brother (and many others). _Interesting_.

_And so they met_

* * *

_Mid July. A slightly cloudy day but nonetheless still hot and of course a bit humid._

A trip to the hospital. The smell of bleach and the odd sensation of sterilization filled her nostrils as well as the occasional smell of blood, tingled her senses. She went and grabbed her medic coat and proceeded to walk across the hall occasionally nodding to a few nurses and smiling to patients littered here and there.

Another ordinary day for Haruno sakura, or so she thought.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, some nurses were chattering among themselves while blushing and giggling like school girls…_Is Sasuke injured?_ Sakura thought. She'd seen these happen before…and it usually involved Uchihas. She remembered Sasuke just had a mission, she was getting real worried…the last time Sasuke came back from his ANBU mission there had been a gapping wound near his abdomen and he had bleed profusely while Naruto was stupidly blabbering that he, himself was better than Sasuke for he took far minor wounds. _The Idiot he had three broken ribs, a fractured right arm and a large horizontal slash across his back._ Sakura shook her head. The only thing better in him was he didn't lose that much blood. _Her stupid boys_. She immediately ran up to some nurses in the alley way and asked "What's happening?" a brown haired nurse spoke up "Uchiha-san, he needed check up from what we've heard he took a poisoned hit, thou its not yet sure if…and…" Sakura immediately interjected "Who's treating Sasuke?" "U-uh.." Before the nurse could utter another word she immediately took action "Tell me the room number!" "Room 108!" another nurse answered, slightly startled. Sakura hastily left. "…But…Sakura-san…" the nurse explained to Sakura but she was long gone.

"Sasuke?! Naruto?!" Sakura shouted as she burst inside the room. Her face immediately burned red from embarrassment. "…ah…gomen Uchiha-san…" She apologized to the Stoic ANBU captain. A few seconds later her medic side took over, she began assessing his wounds. _A few minor cuts and bruises._ She went over to the Uchiha and ignored his sharingan-blazing stare.

Itachi felt loud and hasty footsteps coming. He activated his sharingan just when the door burst open revealing a pink-haired female looking around. He noted that she looked familiar… "Sasuke?! Naruto?!" He remembered…she was Sasuke's teammate and the Hokage's prized apprentice. _How did he fail to recognize her immediately? With that absurd pink hair of hers, she'd stick out like a sore thumb. _"…ah…gomen Uchiha-san…"Itachi stared at her intently as she fell out of her daze and examined him. He was surprised as she wasn't even slightly disturbed with his gaze and continued to advance.

"I am well enough" Itachi proclaimed. He _disliked_ relying on others and moreover he didn't want to be drooled over or _groped_ either by some female or anyone for that fact.

Her brows furrowed. "From what I have heard Uchiha-san you seem to have been poisoned, thou its not confirmed and most likely not true, I still would like to confirmed and check for myself." She said as she picked up his charts and started to scribble and read at the same time. "I am well enough Haruno-san." Itachi stubbornly repeated only to add in her surname. She was taken aback for a second. _He knows me? _Sakura thought. **_Of course well duh! We're like his brothers teammate…and we're like PINK-HAIRED, even an idiot like Naruto would recognize us a mile away remove the fact that he could anytime…heck even enemies would!_** Inner Sakura mussed. Sakura frowned visibly at her inner's rant then pushed her aside and looked at the Uchiha. She only then noticed that he still wore his slightly bloodied and torn ANBU clothes minus the face mask. She frowned and furrowed her brows further.

_This was going to be a long day. Sigh._

* * *

_Yes that had been true._ She basically had to blackmail him with the facts that she was one of the heads of the hospital as well as the _hokage's prized apprentice –_ **basically, taunting that she had the upper hand as long as he was inside the hospital** – and that if he did not oblige, she simply might deem him "_temporarily unable to perform missions until further notice_". Leaving him no escape…

He clamped his lips together forming a thin line and ever so slowly shut his eyes. _Yes_, he would let her be-, he would let her be in control **just this once**. _Interesting._ His lips tugged upward forming a small smirk. _Very, very interesting._ And with that he left his mind to churn some sort of game.

**_The challenge was on._**

* * *

…in the corridor

Sakura paced the corridor that was just outside her patient's room.

Malicious waves of intent- **Vibrated. Off. Her.**

Nurses, Patients, everyone alike cowered in fear.

_She grinned to herself._

The people felt pity on the poor person, who ever he/she was…

* * *

Sakura's case…

"**_stupid Uchiha Males, stupid UCHIHAS!"_** Sakura was inwardly chanting as she paced around the corridor, just a few doors away from the Uchiha's room. _Oh why couldn't he just follow some stupid orders? Was it that difficult or lame to follow a few orders?_ _Was he so non professional?_ She clenched her fists further, knuckles turning white from the pressure she was exerting to it. _Was it _**_that_**_ bad to follow _**_her_**_ orders?_ And how dare he imply such- _such _**_unspeakable_**_ things!_ He made her experience _hell _and doubts herself- **_NO, NOT ANYMORE!._** _"I'm not weak anymore"_ she told herself…barely a whisper. _I trained for this; I'm quite capable…but why?_ _I won't allow this to happen._ She grinned to herself.

**_The challenge was on._**

* * *

…_Earlier this morning_

"Uchiha-san, please remove your shirt." As she eyed the Large gashes on his torso. Itachi. **Just. Stared. **At. Her. Blankly. **_HOW RUDE! WHAT IS HE? DOES HE LIKE SUFFER SELECTIVE HEARING?_** Sakura screamed inwardly, all the while scrapping the pen on his charts, an attempt to calm herself down. She gave an-oh-so-innocent smile (that practically screamed malice and would make Naruto pee on his pants, and even the emotionally constipated Sai would be Nervous) "Uchiha-san, I'd take that you didn't hear me." "Hn" _Good now I have his attention._ She then continued "Please take of your shirt so that I could take a better look." Sakura looked up from her (now useless) patient's charts. "It would not be needed." Itachi spoke his voice like steel velvet. Sakura gritted her teeth. "I would much rather limp around than have you all over me." Itachi added nonchalantly. He saw her gape at him. . He smirked at her reaction. She was so predictable but still entertaining in a way he couldn't understand.

…_But neither of them predicted the outcome of this encounter nor each other…a simple occurrence that forged serendipity… together…And so they met…_

_It was so silent;_

**The chart fell.**

_everything seemed to have paused…_

…_thud…_

**And so she broke.**

…_.the chart fell to the ground…_

**_All. Hell. Was. Loose._**

* * *

**UCHIHA-SAN! WHY YOU- YOU STUPID-INCONSIDERATE-SELF-ABSORBED-IDIOT-JERK!**" Sakura pointed her finger at him all the while screaming profanities and finished pfft-ing then she clenched her fists. Itachi raised a fine eyebrow at her. She immediately continued. "**HOW DARE YOU IMPLY-**" Sakura was cut off. "_Is it not true?_" Itachi smirked not really understanding why he said such words or why he had the sudden urge to do so. He dismissed the fact; it was of no importance anyway. _Maybe because she was different._Sakura gapped openly. Or _because she was feisty. _Her mind seemed to have worked over-drive it the implication. **WHAT THE HELL? I THOUGHT HE WAS WELL-MANNERED? HE'S SO GONNA GET IT!** Sakura inwardly mused.

Itachi, for a split-second directed his eyes towards the door…he could hear footsteps…another split-second later and he recognized the chakra signatures…

* * *

Sakura was enraged.

She couldn't think straight anymore.

He was clouding her mind.

He was ruining her _professionalism_.

He was eating up her temper.

_All of these were not good._

And for that she was going to wipe off that smug face of his.

* * *

The moment his eyes landed on her form he felt ill waves coming from her_…and it was directed AT him._ She was tugging on her chakra reserves_…what was she planning? …surely she wasn't…?!_

**_THUD!_**

A loud thud could be heard from the outside.

She had attacked him.

He had sensed her.

And they were on the floor.

* * *

"What the-?" Shisui asked. "Sakura?" Sasuke inquired.

_He had sensed Sakura's chakra signature…and her chakra was emitting dangerous waves…almost as if she was getting ready to punch Sai's emotionless face off when he calls her that nickname of hers…or when she caught the Dobe doing pathetic pranks on her…in fact it was even more deadly if he could say…but what was she pissed at? Or off…?_

Then they heard a loud thud and they rushed in and found…

Shisui whistled. "What do we have here?" He asked in an amused tone.

Itachi looked up. He was still gripping her wrist firmly but still slightly gentle. His face was still indifferent as usual.

"**LET ME GO!**" Sakura growled at the Uchiha above her. He was pinning her on the ground, her arms at the side with him straddling her by the knees. He just ignored her. **_He just freaking ignored her! _**She was preparing to strike again. All else was forgotten.

"Sakura." Sasuke warned. "**WHAT?!**" Sakura asked as she looked up. She saw Sasuke and Shisui looking down, the latter grinned and waved at her. "Sup Saku?" he grinned even more. "Sasuke-kun? Shisui-san?!" Her eyes widened. All sense came rushing back at her. "**OMG!**" Sakura realized. "I am so sorry! Please forgive me…uhh and let…uhh…me go…" Sakura said she was red with embarrassment. Itachi looked at her he finally released her wrists…the deadly vibes she emitted earlier had vanished. He got up. He winced a bit, barely noticeable. Shisui was too busy laughing at the whole seen, well mostly at Sakura and Sasuke was just plain irritated…he was a bit disturbed to and was focusing at Sakura.

He let her go. Then he stood up, he used his left arm, the same one he used to stop Sakura's chakra-infused punch. Sakura watched, as he winced. Her critical eye for the human anatomy **_almost_** failed to see what was wrong_…but she was right in front of him (or rather below) and because…she was a medic…and a great one at it…but of course, thou her chakra infused punch had missed she still knew it had an effect, she seriously thought_ **THE UCHIHA ITACHI** _was immune to it (seeing he didn't even show any signs until he used his wrong arm and had an impassive face on) but then she saw he winced even if just a fraction of an inch. _She then bit her lip.

"Your arm…" Sakura said as she reached out. It was a statement. _She knew. _His eyes narrowed to slits but he remained silent. Both Shisui and Sasuke focused on the scene unfolding right before their very eyes. It seemed like hours before he finally spoke "It is fine." "No it's not!" She then reached out to grab his left arm, he swung it out of the way. "It's my fault so let me heal it! And I'm the medic assigned to you so I'm going to eventually heal it so give it to me!" then Sakura suddenly remembered the _real _reason why on the first place it did happen. Her eyes suddenly formed a glare. "I will not repeat myself anymore. I am fine."

_No not again!_

She was already getting frustrated-**_AGAIN_**_!_

But this time round she somehow managed to think straight… that being- rushing out the door and shoving the two silent Uchihas a side including mumbling incoherent words.

Sakura rushed pass the two Uchihas by the door. "What happened?" Shisui asked, his question directed at the Uchiha standing in the middle of the room, face indifferent like always. "hn?" Sasuke added as he looked at Sakura's retreating form. "…She was mumbling things like, jerk, stupid Uchiha…and something like he's worse than Sasuke here." Shisui added. Sasuke frowned ever so slightly as he heard the latter.

Sakura had stormed out of the room.

She was just too frustrated.

He was just too irritating.

* * *

_Present time…_

In the corridor…

She turned back, grin still intact. The little wheels on her head had finished turning.

She ran back to the room. _He was so going to pay._

**She had something to throw back…she was going to face his challenge head on.**

Uchiha Itachi had never been this amused (_or as amused as he could get)_. He looked at the two men currently in the room, and then stared at the door. By the sound of it she was probably pacing around and muttering profanities and/or insults which were surely directed at him. He decided to wait, he was sure she wouldn't just give up. He found the whole ordeal amusing, but showed no outward signs. She was a mixture of uncertainty and predictability, something he found enticing.

He was rarely admitted to the hospital and was usually free to go as soon as he wished himself out. He really had no idea when he first refused to be treated. He assumed that like most medics, she would back down. It only served to further his interest with her. She was in an instant lashing out on him and he found out that she was not the type to back down or be the sort to be intimidated. _(He Idly thought this particular trait of hers could be her strength…or weakness…or both)_ She was here for one thing- her duty and would not stray. The moment she had resisted his wishes, his mind churned…he simply loved puzzles…or a good challenge and her entirety was one that plagued him. His life was getting mundane, bleak, and she was something fresh for him. He knew Sakura Haruno was something he _wanted_...albeit it was _more_ of the challenge that was _her_…

She had basically no explanation as to why Uchiha Itachi was _tormenting_ her, except for the fact that he was an **_egotistic, self-absorbed, and completely annoying arse_**, she yelled mentally and kept repeating it over and over just like a mantra (Oh boy, her vocabulary seemed to have shrunk when it came to this particular Uchiha…_oh wait_, all Uchihas _are exactly the same…_**_except _**_he irked her the best_). She was a medic and damn straight she was going to deal with him. She would not let his ego mash her up…_even if it was probably the size of an entire country_….she mussed. _He freaking messed with the wrong person…_**_Now let's show him our awesomeness!_**

Her mind conjured up ways to efficiently torture the Uchiha. **_He was at her mercy in the hospital, right?_** And she would take what ever he threw at her. She tried to understand the logic behind his actions but could find none, seriously, who in the right mind would turn down a little assessment that could very well save your life and then accuse the poor medic-_that was her-of-_**_of such rude comments!_** She blushed profusely _(of anger or of shame, none could tell…maybe both?)_.

* * *

Itachi's room

"Sasuke-kun, Shisui-san, I would like to advise you that visiting is no longer allowed." Sakura kept a straight face, not once looking at Itachi. She could feel his intense stare. "What?!" Shisui asked, surprised. "Sakura?" Sasuke asked her to explain. "Don't tell me you want Ita-chan here all by yourself, huh?" Shisui smirked. Itachi merely (almost growled) at his bestfriend for that undignified petname of his.

Sakura just stared; she had her don't-mess-with-me-I'm-dead-serious-now-shut-up look. Shisui chuckled at her then shrugged. "Okay, okay. Have fun you two!" He dragged the confused Sasuke out with him. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He let the two lovebirds alone, hoping they wouldn't kill each other, or atleast hoped that the hospital would still be…_a hospital_, not a pile of boulders when they come back.

"I am to be dismissed immediately, I presume?" A velvet tenor resounded.

"Oh shut up! You are not leaving this hospital in that condition." Sakura spat.

"I can not be and will not be subjected to any of your _musings_."

"Oh please, what? It's not like you're gonna run off-" Sakura stopped in mid sentence.

She stared at the Uchiha. "Okay, I take that back. Maybe you **_will_** try to run off."

She smirked. "Well, I guess I'll have to do it the hard way."

"I will just have to subdue you." She said this much without batting an eyelash, with too much confidence. Just as if she told Naruto would eat Ramen.

_He wasn't ANBU captain at 13 for anything. And he knew she wasn't dumb either._

_Nor was she something to be taken lightly._

Itachi merely observed the turn of events.

It was exhilarating. She really could make him…_high._

He loved trills. He loved challenges.

"And may I ask how you are to achieve such a feat? Much more you have alerted me of this fact." Itachi came to a stride. They were merely a feet or two apart, his sharingan blazed._She was not intimidated._

Both knew that they, considered geniuses at their fields, had made this into a game, an epic battle of wits and power. They both believed they would come out on top.

But there was only to be one winner.

A blur, A flash, A clash, emerald meets onyx.

They were all over the place, a pink and black blur. Even to the trained eye they almost looked rehearsed. No chakra was used just the rawest of fights, nothing. Controlled punches, kicks, leaps, and a kunai in hand, they were careful not to damage anything or to alert anyone for that matter.

This had gone on for a span of four full hours when Sakura suddenly broke in laughter. The fight had stopped. Both dropped to either sides of the room.

Sakura was laughing so hard her stomach seemed to have clenched and she almost stumbled over. Itachi had a smirk in place. Nothing seemed out of place, except for the occasional scratch here and there, a few disheveled hairs, nothing more.

Sakura beamed at the stubborn Uchiha. He merely gazed at her once more, something akin to amusement flickered in his orbs.

"Now will you just let me heal you?" Sakura asked.

The past few fours had been awfully funny and kinda fun in a perverse kind of way.

They had engaged in small talk too, however unbelievable it was. She found that Itachi was good company, and he found her to be as well. They shared a mutual bond of appreciation towards each other.

_The 'spar' was something, or almost, if not a perverse way of getting to know each other, all the while trying to beat each other up without damaging or alerting anyone._

That smile of hers was breath-taking Itachi thought at the deep corners of his mind.

He knew the moment she had caught his attention that she was _something._ After all, she alone had managed that, which was a feat in itself.

Itachi took his time to stride towards her, almost as if he was in slow motion. Each step was fluid, almost climatic.

This might just be one of the most oddly, Yes dare her say it- surreal/romantic moments of her life. She didn't know why, heck, she didn't even know why the hell she was contemplating all of this! But she felt it. _An odd spark._

She knew deep down inside he also felt that spark.

Maybe she was crazy, or just adrenaline had taken it's toll on her sane mind for the moment. Hell, she knew Itachi was half-crazy as well _(wasn't that a known fact? Naruto would even joke about 'Sasuke's half insane brother')._

And when he had finally stood in front of her, his heat radiating off him like pleasurable (welcomed!) rays towards her, she all but forgot about all healing him, instead she leaned forward as if anticipating something…

Her eyelids dropping dangerously shut.

Her face angling towards his,

Her toes rising upwards,

Her arms precariously reaching…

He stiffened almost but did not keep his head from turning towards her.

He saw what was about to happen but he did not mind,

He met her halfway…

It was just a chaste kiss. It seemed as if it dragged on forever (almost frozen) but in reality it was a mere minute.

Her heart was beating so fast, his was as well. Spar? She questioned, but she knew the odd feeling, the reason why she was so flushed, so breathless, was because of the man standing in front of her, his hands on her elbows (So shy? …so wary…yet…).

Then they were just there standing, relishing the feeling, contemplating, in an intimate- yet chaste embrace.

**_And so they had finally met love…_**

* * *

Author's Notes:

In this story Sakura has now become one of the head of Konoha's hospital (She's the top medic in Konoha but of course she to young to hold so much responsibility…the elders think so and she hasn't even turned full-fledged adult…and since Tsunade is still Hokage, so I made Shizune the head…but it's not mentioned yet)

Team 7 is still intact. No Sai (–yet). All of them ANBU with Sakura as (Kakashi returned to his former status before becoming jounin-sensei, aka ANBU). Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto has become closer over the years and practically have a 'best friends' relationship with each other.

Sasuke never did leave Konoha (obvious reason stated before) but is still as strong in the current manga 'cause he wants to measure up to his brother and his father and clan's standards.

Sakura is still the Hokage's apprentice (because of her need to prove and make herself useful), but has already surpassed Tsunade in terms of medical knowledge but still lacks on the strength department (not literally thou…I'd like the fic to be more believable). Therefore means the post time-skip Sakura only older. And has long gotten over her crush with Sasuke and both of them are real good friends

Naruto still did train with the Hermit (Ero-nin/sannin). Naruto's crush on Sakura eventually died out but of course was replaced with his sisterly love for Sakura.

Now as for Sasuke, sakura stopped crushing on Sasuke a long time ago and as teammates they formed a bond, so Sakura still uses 'Sasuke-kun' out of familiarity and her habit when she was young.

Then Shisui, I hope everyone knows that he is indeed Itachi's best friend and their Cousin. Then, in some point in time in my fic he met Sakura on a mission (medics are quite rare especially those who take on shinobi/ninja duties as well so they tend to be moved around when some teams need them) and sometimes they have the same mission and thus teammates and thus some sort of familiarity too (but not as much with Naruto and Sasuke as well as her Sensei and rookie 9).


End file.
